The alloxan-diabetic animals showed significant reductions in plasma glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol after treatment with the total lignan from the plant Fructus Arctii and glibenclamide (used as standard) compared with the diabetic controls, while the glucose tolerance, serum insulin level and HDL-cholesterol were elevated without the risk of hypoglycemia. In conclusion, the total lignan from the plant Fructus Arctii has been proven to be a safer antidiabetic agent and might help to prevent diabetic complications. It can serve as a good adjuvant in the present armamentarium of antidiabetic drugs.

These results suggest that ALBE inhibits the expression of IL-4 and IL-5 by downregulating MAPKs and NF-κB activation in ConA-treated splenocytes and supports the hypothesis that ALBE may have beneficial effects in the treatment of allergic diseases, including atopic dermatitis.

In conclusion, the active component present in the active HPLC fraction of the AL extract was able to significantly reduce the release of inflammatory mediators through inhibition of degranulation and cys-leukotriene release in vitro. In addition, this active component was able to inhibit acute skin response in mice in vivo, indicating that AL is a very promising natural component for use in anti-allergic treatment.

We have shown that the ONP fraction obtained from Arctium lappa exert marked protective effects in acute experimental colitis, confirming and justifying, at least in part, the popular use of this plant to treat gastrointestinal diseases

Arctiin was orally effective against either IFV-inoculated normal or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-treated mice, being less effective as compared with oseltamivir. Noticeably, arctiin produced a larger amount of virus-specific antibody than those of control and oseltamivir in sera collected from 5-FU-treated mice. Furthermore, oral treatment of 5-FU-treated mice with arctiin did not induce any resistant viruses, although the same treatment with oseltamivir induced resistant viruses at a 50% frequency

Oral administration of EET (1, 3, 10 and 30mg/kg) reduced the gastric lesion area in 29.2%, 41.4%, 59.3% and 38.5%, respectively, and at 10mg/kg promoted significant regeneration of the gastric mucosa, which was confirmed by proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunohistochemistry.

These results suggest an antisecretory mechanism involved with the antiulcerogenic effect of the ONP fraction. However, only endogenous sulfhydryls play an important role in gastroprotection of the ONP fraction.

Interestingly, this combination displayed preferential cell-death inducing activity against tumor cells compared to normal cells. Hence, we propose that the combination of arctigenin and 2DG may represent a promising new cancer therapy with minimal normal tissue toxicity

The screening found occurrence of A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) specific cytotoxicity in nine species of herbal plants, especially in the extract of Arctium lappa L. Moreover, purification of the selective cytotoxicity in the extract of Arctium lappa L. resulted in the identification of arctigenin as tumor specific agent that showed cytotoxicity to lung cancer (A549), liver cancer (HepG2) and stomach cancer (KATO III) cells, while no cytotoxicity to several normal cell lines.

Recent research has even suggested that AMPK activation contributed to endurance enhancement without exercise. Here we report that the natural product arctigenin from the traditional herb Arctium lappa L. (Compositae) strongly increased AMPK phosphorylation and subsequently up-regulated its downstream pathway in both H9C2 and C2C12 cells. Our results thus suggested that arctigenin might be used as a potential lead compound for the discovery of the agents with mimic exercise training effects to treat metabolic diseases

The results of this study demonstrate that aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. roots enhances sexual behavior in male rats. The aphrodisiac effects of the plant extract may be related to the presence of flavonoids, saponins, lignans and alkaloids, acting via a multitude of central and peripheral mechanisms. These results thus support the traditional use of Arctium lappa L. root extract for treating impotence and sterility.

The activity of SOD in the liver tissue and blood serum of the decoction-fed lab rats was improved dramatically (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the content of MDA in the brain tissue and blood serum lowered obviously (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the content of lipofuscin dropped distinctly (P<0.01).The mechanism of the anti-aging effects of the Niubanggen is mainly obtained by raising the activity of SOD and reducing the contents of MDA and lipofuscin.

Arctigenin at doses of 30 and 60 mg/kg (p. o.) potently reversed scopolamine-induced memory deficits by 62 % and 73 %, respectively, in a passive avoidance test. This finding is comparable with that of tacrine (10 mg/kg p. o.). Arctigenin also significantly reversed scopolamine-induced memory deficits in the Y-maze and Morris water maze tests. On the basis of these findings, arctigenin may ameliorate memory deficits by inhibiting AChE.